Suzy had lived on a small farm her whole life. Her family's farm was far from the nearest town. Life was very simple on the farm. Suzy learned to read and write from her mother and do arithmetic from her father. She also learned a great deal by doing chores. She knew how to collect eggs from the chickens, put food out for the other small farm animals, and help her mom in the kitchen garden. Once a cow wandered off, and Suzy spent the better part of a day helping her dad find her. She really liked farm life. Suzy was learning everything she needed to know to successfully live on a farm.
But everything changed drastically when Suzy’s dad came home one day and announced that he had gotten a job at the factory in the faraway town. For years, Suzy had known that they might have to move away from the farm. Large companies were buying up family farms, and they could produce so much with their big, expensive machines that family farms couldn't compete with their prices. Her father had been having a hard time for a long time. Still, it had never been a reality before, and Suzy and her whole family had been hoping it would never happen.
When the moving truck arrived and she had to load her boxes on it, everything became all too real. There were still tears in her eyes when Suzy saw the town’s buildings growing bigger on the horizon as the sun was setting.
When they pulled up to their new home, Suzy’s dad excitedly said, “Welcome to our new life, everyone! Let’s make the best of it!” He looked hopeful, and some of the worried lines had left his forehead. Suzy nodded her head and did her best to smile. She then unloaded her things and carried them into her new home.
“Things will never be the same,” she thought as she fell asleep, exhausted from the day's work of moving and her many emotions.
Suzy’s morning began with her mom waking her up, rushing her downstairs for a quick breakfast, and then taking her to school. Her whole school life had taken place at the kitchen table! Now Suzy was entering a whole new world. What would school be like? Would she make any friends there? Could she pass her courses? She didn’t even know if she was dressed properly. Would the other kids make fun of her? Maybe they would know right away she was from the farm. Sometimes town kids looked down on country kids.
“Hi, my name’s Dee. Are you new here?” asked a short blond girl with a bright face sitting next to her in class. After admitting she was new, Suzy finally felt some possibility of fitting in. It was a good feeling.
“Glad to meet you, Dee. We just moved here yesterday, and it’s my first day in any kind of school,” Suzy confided.
“I’ll show you around,” said Dee cheerfully.
From that point on, Dee was like Suzy’s guardian angel. She taught the anxious newcomer everything she needed to know to survive in school.
“This is how we open our lockers,” said Dee, as Suzy fumbled with the dial on the combination lock.
“Wow, I can do it!” Suzy boasted as she opened her locker on the fifth try.
“If you think lockers are tough, wait until you try out the computers in the school library,” said Dee in a challenging tone.
Once in the library, Dee spent a half hour showing Suzy how to log on the computer, write a document, use e-mail, and even explore the Internet.
All this was new to Suzy, but she could tell a whole a new world was opening up for her. With each new skill Dee taught her, Suzy listened attentively. Somehow, she knew her future would depend on these skills.
Suzy's mother and father had taught her well, and the books and lessons on the black board seemed familiar to Suzy. She sighed a sigh of relief. She was not behind, then. In fact, it seemed, she was a little ahead.
Dee walked home with her that day.
"I think it's going to rain," Dee, glancing at the sky.
"No, I don't think so," said Suzy. "The leaves aren't showing their undersides. That's a surefire way we tell if it is going to rain on the farm. I don't feel much pressure in the air either. And the flies are quiet—they get busier before a storm. No, I don't think it is going to rain today."
When the rest of the afternoon passed without rain, Dee called Suzy on the phone.
"You've got some skills!" she said.
Remembering the locker and the computer, Suzy said, just as appreciatively, "So do you, my friend!" Suzy paused. "Is it okay to call you my friend?"
"Sure!" said Dee. "Please do!"
Questions for Reflection
1. What skills have you learned at school that you think will help you in the future? Explain why and how you learned them.
2. Have you taught yourself (self-learned) any skills on your own? What are they and how did you do it?
3. What are the most important skills you know? Explain why.
4. If you could learn one new skill, what would it be and why?
5. Did Suzy find out she had learned some valuable skills at home on the farm? What were they?
6. Do you think it is good to learn new skills?
7. Is making friends a skill?
8. Was Dee good at making new friends?
9. What did Dee do to show Suzy she wanted to be friends with her?
Exercise
The teacher will go around the room and ask each student to name a skill they are especially good at. If you hear someone name a skill you would like to learn yourself, ask to be paired up with that person. If you hear someone name a skill that you could teach them, ask to be allowed to pair up with that person too. The teacher will guide you to hold skills teaching and learning sessions to improve everyone's skills.
But everything changed drastically when Suzy’s dad came home one day and announced that he had gotten a job at the factory in the faraway town. For years, Suzy had known that they might have to move away from the farm. Large companies were buying up family farms, and they could produce so much with their big, expensive machines that family farms couldn't compete with their prices. Her father had been having a hard time for a long time. Still, it had never been a reality before, and Suzy and her whole family had been hoping it would never happen.
When the moving truck arrived and she had to load her boxes on it, everything became all too real. There were still tears in her eyes when Suzy saw the town’s buildings growing bigger on the horizon as the sun was setting.
When they pulled up to their new home, Suzy’s dad excitedly said, “Welcome to our new life, everyone! Let’s make the best of it!” He looked hopeful, and some of the worried lines had left his forehead. Suzy nodded her head and did her best to smile. She then unloaded her things and carried them into her new home.
“Things will never be the same,” she thought as she fell asleep, exhausted from the day's work of moving and her many emotions.
Suzy’s morning began with her mom waking her up, rushing her downstairs for a quick breakfast, and then taking her to school. Her whole school life had taken place at the kitchen table! Now Suzy was entering a whole new world. What would school be like? Would she make any friends there? Could she pass her courses? She didn’t even know if she was dressed properly. Would the other kids make fun of her? Maybe they would know right away she was from the farm. Sometimes town kids looked down on country kids.
“Hi, my name’s Dee. Are you new here?” asked a short blond girl with a bright face sitting next to her in class. After admitting she was new, Suzy finally felt some possibility of fitting in. It was a good feeling.
“Glad to meet you, Dee. We just moved here yesterday, and it’s my first day in any kind of school,” Suzy confided.
“I’ll show you around,” said Dee cheerfully.
From that point on, Dee was like Suzy’s guardian angel. She taught the anxious newcomer everything she needed to know to survive in school.
“This is how we open our lockers,” said Dee, as Suzy fumbled with the dial on the combination lock.
“Wow, I can do it!” Suzy boasted as she opened her locker on the fifth try.
“If you think lockers are tough, wait until you try out the computers in the school library,” said Dee in a challenging tone.
Once in the library, Dee spent a half hour showing Suzy how to log on the computer, write a document, use e-mail, and even explore the Internet.
All this was new to Suzy, but she could tell a whole a new world was opening up for her. With each new skill Dee taught her, Suzy listened attentively. Somehow, she knew her future would depend on these skills.
Suzy's mother and father had taught her well, and the books and lessons on the black board seemed familiar to Suzy. She sighed a sigh of relief. She was not behind, then. In fact, it seemed, she was a little ahead.
Dee walked home with her that day.
"I think it's going to rain," Dee, glancing at the sky.
"No, I don't think so," said Suzy. "The leaves aren't showing their undersides. That's a surefire way we tell if it is going to rain on the farm. I don't feel much pressure in the air either. And the flies are quiet—they get busier before a storm. No, I don't think it is going to rain today."
When the rest of the afternoon passed without rain, Dee called Suzy on the phone.
"You've got some skills!" she said.
Remembering the locker and the computer, Suzy said, just as appreciatively, "So do you, my friend!" Suzy paused. "Is it okay to call you my friend?"
"Sure!" said Dee. "Please do!"
Questions for Reflection
1. What skills have you learned at school that you think will help you in the future? Explain why and how you learned them.
2. Have you taught yourself (self-learned) any skills on your own? What are they and how did you do it?
3. What are the most important skills you know? Explain why.
4. If you could learn one new skill, what would it be and why?
5. Did Suzy find out she had learned some valuable skills at home on the farm? What were they?
6. Do you think it is good to learn new skills?
7. Is making friends a skill?
8. Was Dee good at making new friends?
9. What did Dee do to show Suzy she wanted to be friends with her?
Exercise
The teacher will go around the room and ask each student to name a skill they are especially good at. If you hear someone name a skill you would like to learn yourself, ask to be paired up with that person. If you hear someone name a skill that you could teach them, ask to be allowed to pair up with that person too. The teacher will guide you to hold skills teaching and learning sessions to improve everyone's skills.